Dancing Astronaut’s Top 10 Tracks of December 2013

Want an easy way to make sure you are up to date on all the latest, best music? Dancing Astronaut takes a look at the top 10 tracks officially released in December and ranks them based on a combination of reader feedback, track quality, editorial preference & critical reception.

Dancing Astronaut wraps up December for you with another edition of our top 10 tracks of the month; just after giving you our Biggest 50 of 2013, comes one last crop. December’s list features massive tracks from reader favorites Martin Garrix, Tiesto, Pryda, and more. Not to be missed are also fantastic efforts from Sluggers, Trent Cantrelle, and Oliver Heldens. Click past the break for our top 10 tracks of December!

Boys Noize takes the Chromeo’s electrofunk selection to a different realm with his creative, bass-riddled remix. Flipping the original tune upside down, he gives the song an energetic spin while maintaining a minimal, electro sensuality. December brought 2013 one last stellar outing between the pairing of Chromeo and Boys Noize.

Marcus Schössow, Mike Hawkins and Pablo Oliveros joined forces to officially release their latest teamwork a blend of all things fast and slow, combining piano driven melodies with an energetic drum beat and explosive synths. “Ulysses” grows from its humble beginnings into a huge house landmark, telling a story like a well-crafted dance anthem should.

Acclaimed as hip-hop’s greatest producer of all time by Rolling Stone, and just about everyone else, DJ Premier slows down “Latch” to transform Disclosure’s garage house smash into a smooth, piano-driven R&B rework. This newly revitalized slow jam meshes with the love-struck voice of Sam Smith perfectly.

Afrojack’s take on Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” ignores most mainstream expectations set by the namesake. Lead by orchestra-like melody non-representative of the Cyrus smash and followed by a signature bulky bellow of Afrojack music that pays testament to the title only with wrecking ball force, the depth of Afrojack’s latest drops are juxtaposed merely by an intermission from Miley, where the “Wrecking Ball” chorus plays mid-way for relief as the remix’s only trace of original hit.

Between receiving awards and making worldwide headlining appearances, Martin Garrix has returned to the studio with fellow newcomer Jay Hardway to recreate the magic that did them so well in past. The pair’s newest collaboration, “Wizard,” has been the center of attention for big room fans in anticipation of its release. Returning to the “Animals“-inspired style, a minimalist bassline kicks in for best use of the The Finger Piano Player.

After weeks of speculation surrounding Musical Freedom’s anonymously tailored big room departure, Dutch newcomer Oliver Heldens emerges as the man behind impending offering “Gecko.” With a sparing run of releases behind him, “Gecko” sees the young Dutch producer lead a house-orientated side step for the label – a move well-aligned with Tiësto’s more recent outreach to the deep house community will be released on December 30th.

Tiësto‘s newest production is quickly gaining stateside radio support as the first record to come off his upcoming artist album. “Red Lights” comes tailored for a broad audience, interpolating a structure with pop elements and contributing flare with electro dynamics. The lead single off Tiësto’s upcoming album due in 2014 follows suit of the year’s biggest records such as “This Is What It Feels Like” or “The Spark,” putting the vocals ahead of the stage appeal.

With his first Pryda record since this summer’s two-track feature of “Layers” and“Rotonda,” Eric Prydz flaunted his famed progressive house alter ego for a marvelous new production by the name of “Lycka.” The new track, which is Swedish for ‘happiness,’ contains the irresistible bliss for which Eric is known. Appropriately dubbed Zane Lowe’s ‘Hottest Record of the Week,’ “Lycka” is a return to the classic progressive house vibes paired with its “F.A.T” b-side.

Sluggers, the next big project from OWSLA records, has been shrouded in mystery for some time. Information about them is sparse, despite their active SoundCloud and support from major artists from Skrillex to Brodinski. They released the Phantom Fade EP just in time for the new year, a collection of deep pounding bass with minimalist but strategically placed vocal splices and hi-hats. Spanning four tracks in total, the standout track is ‘Broke,’ a grungy synthesis of wonky accents with techno beats and a driving bass line that even the best of OWSLA can be proud of.

She’s on a different frequency… Trent Cantrelle’s December “What I Need” quickly established a sex-fueled presence from the moment its opening exasperated sample kicks in. A stuttering array of dripping synths, sensual breathes and a deep house vignette, Cantrelle eases listeners into the mix like any attentive lover would. Slow at first, he leaves much to the imagination but by the time the claves and kicks take center stage “What I Need” goes full bore on your senses, driving the energy past the point of no return. In two words? Aural sex.